It's nice to have company...but not the midges

Day 32 Innerwick - Edinburgh 44.29 miles

As today was a shorter day I had a later start and decided to go to Quaker Meeting in Dunbar with Elisabeth and Rebecca before heading to Edinburgh. It was lovely to have an hour of silence knowing I had a day of busy roads ahead.

It was another beautiful sunny day so riding on busy roads didn't seem too bad but I did wonder where I was going to get my coffee from today. I needn't have worried as about 10 miles from Dunbar there was a garden centre. I  wasn't happy to leave my loaded bike outside as it was very busy so I decided to keep it with me and wheeled it through the shop. No one seemed to mind and I could enjoy a coffee without worrying.

If I hadn't seen the signs yesterday saying I was back in Scotland I'd have known because as I left the garden centre I cycled through clouds of midges. My glasses were covered with them and they were inside my helmet which made my head itch.

As I reached the coast road I met Jan, Margaret and Janet from Cardiff  who were touring the coastline of Britain. Each year they spent holidays adding different bits to the puzzle and this year they were cycling form Newcastle to Edinburgh. After a chat we all headed off in the same direction, I expected to be left behind as everyone seems to cycle faster than me. But to my surprise I kept up, so we cycled together for several miles along the coast. It was a real treat to have company. We stopped for a cup of tea near Prestonpans and then continued as far as Musselburgh were they were stopping for the night. Having made sure that I had picked up route 1 that would take me all the way to the centre of Edinburgh we parted company and I hope to see them again when they cycle the coast of Mull.

I followed the route 1 signs carefully but after some time I came across a direction post which pointed to Edinburgh in the direction I had come from. I retraced my steps back to a road and asked for directions, this time I followed the road and finally arrived at the A1 where I picked up route 1 again. I was now cycling along a disused railway line which took me the last 5 miles into the middle of Edinburgh from where it was easy to find Richards house where I would be staying for the night.

Since I arrived back in Scotland I have been thinking a lot about Mull, all my friends there and children at Lochdon Primary school. Next Sunday I should be at Ardnamurchan Point, the most Westerly point and so near home. I am really looking forward to seeing all those who are going to join me for this part of the journey, but will have to resist the temptation to get on the ferry and return to Mull with them.

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